A Strawberry in Seireitei
by CoffeeNerd
Summary: One-shot collection of fem Ichigo romance/friendship fictions with a various number of male Gotei 13 personal. Chapters will be of various length and content, this will obviously be AU however, the Manga will be used as reference for much of the compiled one-shots. Please enjoy and review, all CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is welcome. Chapter Two: Eventually... IchigoXByakuya
1. A Pleasant Surprise

**Disclaimer:** I do not own BLEACH if I did, I obviously wouldn't be working a job that pays just barely over minimum wage.

**Authors note:** Briefly stated, this is a work of fiction, my ideas are my own, my beliefs my own, if you don't agree with them then obviously don't read. You may need a labeled picture of an ear to get an idea of Ichigo's piercings unless you actually know something about an ear.

**Fun fact about an ear:** The little triangle of cartilage and skin just before your ear canal is called a tragus. Tragus in Greek means goat, the reason your tragus is called a tragus is because when named, often men and women would have hair grow there in various states of lengths and it would remind others of a goat with a beard, thus it is called a tragus.

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(0000)

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Izuru felt her enormous spiritual energy before he'd heard her footsteps. It didn't leak anymore, kido lessons from Kuchiki-taichou and Ukitake-taichou resolved that matter, but that didn't mean that she suppressed it all the time, when she was near weaker shinigami, Izuru noticed that she subconsciously suppressed it to somewhere about his level. But here, at the meeting hall with the rest of fukutachious and taichous she just barely suppressed it. It felt warm and yet anxious, Izuru's forehead creased, what could have possibly gone wrong between when Kurosaki-san was here two weeks ago and now.

"Sorry I'm late." Kurosaki-san musical voice chimed a little apprehensive. There was a chorus of gasps in the large meeting hall, Izuru looked up from his thoughts and felt his breath escape him.

Um… wow.

Kurosaki-san looked, um… wow.

She looked stunning in her red flowing dress. The top portion clung to her breasts, breasts that her shihakusho obviously hid. There was bead work on the V-neck bodice, Izuru followed the fabric down to just about where her knees should be and saw a tantalizing side slit, that showcased her slender legs and silver strapped heels that also had bead work on the front of her feet. As she walked by, to stand at her usual place near the Soutaichou he noticed the elegant train flowing behind her, and then he saw the low cut of the back fabric below crisscrossing wide fabric near her scapulae. Her hair was done up in curls over her left shoulder and she was still putting on her earrings, walking as quickly as possible. When she got to her usual position he studied her in detail since her light copper locks were over her other shoulder. Her earrings were diamonds dangling from a silver chain; she had a minimal amount of makeup, dark brown smoky eyes, to accentuate her already warm hazel eyes, some blush and light pink splashed across her lips. Her dress not only suited her willow figure but also her tanned complexion.

It was deathly quiet in the hall; no one had said a word.

"Is something wrong?" questioned Kurosaki-san; she didn't seem to notice all the others ogling her toned figure. Izuru took the time to study all the others in the room, there was mixed expressions but mostly it was astonished and dazed expressions. Omaeda-fukutaichou had dropped his bag of chips with an open mouth; Soi fon-tachiou seemed as stunned as her fukutaichou looked. His own taichou seemed happy, probably because he'd complained about Kurosaki-san never took care of her beautiful complexion. Unohana-taichou seemed serene but she also studied the stunning woman, her fuku-taichou was red and uncomfortable. Kuchiki-taichou seemed expressionless, along with Komamura-taichou but both their eyes followed her movements. Their lieutenants seemed overwhelmed and red, Izuru watched Renji a little concerned for his breathing as his red complexion matched his red hair. Kyoraku-taichou was being glared at by his fuku-taichou like he had just committed murder. While both Hirako-taichou and Muguruma-taichou studied her admiringly, Momo looked down uncomfortably as did Hitsugaya-taichou. Rangiku nodded enthusiastically to herself as if she had just proven her point. While Shuhei-senpai tried to look unaffected by Kurosaki-san's presence. Zaraki-taichou seemed almost completely unaffected by her appearance and instead held back his pink haired fukutaichou from tackling the gorgeous peach haired woman that now seemed annoyed by the lack of chatter. Kurotsuchi-taichou and his daughter studied her with an appreciative gleam but Izuru didn't know if that was scientifically or otherwise. Ukitake-taichou and Rukia-san struggled to appear unaffected, but they went back and forth from exasperated to approving.

Izuru was almost afraid to see the Soutaichou's expression, nevertheless he did, it was disapproving, but Izuru didn't know if that was due to her dress or her tardiness. His fuku-taichou just seemed a little lost and helpless, though Izuru wasn't faring well himself, he felt nervous and strangely pleased with her appearance.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." Soutaichou spoke in a grave and displeased voice, Izuru refrained from flinching, just barely. However, Kurosaki-san just seemed to meet his gaze head on. Izuru watched as Soutaichou-sama seemed to resist sighing in frustration. "What are you doing here?"

Kurosaki-san answered promptly, crossing her arms underneath her breasts, pushing them up and giving a God-given view. Kyoraku-taichou looked up and mouthed a silent thank you, while half the other men either looked on appreciatively or away with bright cheeks. "Karin was supposed to come, but she had to get ready as well. (Toshiro mouthed the words back to himself, Kurosaki Karin in a dress) I left her report at Ukitake-san's office, Yama-jii."

Ichigo was a little confused when no one reprimanded her lack of respect, she at least expect Byakuya to, but he seemed to look away from her gaze, Ichigo dropped her arms to her side in confusion and shifted her weight to her other leg allowing a provocative view of her leg.

Izuru couldn't help himself anymore; he had to know why she was dressed like this. "Kurosaki-san, why are you dressed like this?" She turned her head towards him and studied Izuru's reddening expression. She then looked down and seemed to pout… it was a very enticing view. All the other taichous and fukutaichous watched her.

"Ishida's line comes out tonight and I'm going to the opening party. I knew I wouldn't have enough to get ready, so I came dressed like this. Why? Do I look bad?" she questioned, not angry really but clearly upset. She must have spent time putting on her cosmetics, and getting ready. "I knew I should have worn the black mini-dress." Ichigo cursed under her breath and seemed defeated. Everyone else held their breaths as they imagined exactly what Kurosaki Ichigo in a black mini-dress would look like. Renji, Shuhei-senpai and Tetsuzaemon-senpai all passed out from nose bleeds. The rest of the captains couldn't look her straight in the eye with the exception of Kurotsuchi-taichou, his daughter and Rangiku whom all had various expressions of interest. Ichigo looked over unimpressed at her colleagues on the floor and shook her head.

"No you look lovely, Kurosaki-san." Izuru tried to keep the room from going too awkward and from Kurosaki-san upsetting herself due to his unrestrained friends. Ichigo graced him with a smile, feeling better about the damn dress that she'd promised Ishida she'd wear. The fabric was nice and soft, silk or maybe satin. She didn't want to ask, but the jewelry he sent with it, the shoes, she really didn't want to wear any of them. If it wasn't for Yuzu telling her that the bead work was hand woven by Ishida, she would never wear any of what he'd sent over the day before yesterday.

Izuru, tried to repress a flush of color but he was only human, he did manage to reciprocate a small smile.

Rangiku watched the interactions of the two and hoped somehow, after all the pain both had experienced that they'd just see what was right in front of them. Soutaichou decided to overlook his own observations and began the meeting discussing the increase in hallows in Rukongai and the living world; he'd prompt other members of the Gotei 13 to suggest possible causes or ways to fix it. Ichigo herself didn't need prompting and participated in the meeting, telling them about Kisuke's ideas and thoughts on both, along with her own. There was a discussion about bring the humans to Soul Society for safety, but Ichigo insisted that they could take care of themselves and then cleverly turned the conversation of upping Soul Society's security via a captain-wide kido.

Izuru examined as the passionate discussion took place, he felt a little awed by the spike of Reiatsu, when someone or another was upset or pissed off. It was only recently that fukutaichous were allowed to meet in the large hall in the first divisions with their taichous; he didn't know of the temperament problems that arose due to opinions and disagreements. At times he noticed that when Kurosaki-san spoke, everyone got ridiculously quiet, was that due to her appearance or her opinions. Either way, she was nice to look at. Her presence really calmed everyone else's down, surprisingly enough, as she was very violate to begin with. At one point or another, Yachiru tackled the light copper-haired woman in the middle of her statement. Izuru observed that although the force would have knocked Kurosaki-san off her feet, she continued speaking about the security issues as if it where nothing, and then domestically rearranged Yachiru in order for her to be more comfortable as she continued spoke. Yachiru latched onto the young woman and sighed at the unrestricted love.

Izuru observed unrestrained as Ichigo continued to subconsciously showered Yachiru with affection and felt a warmth flood him as she smiled down to the small girl in her arms. Ichigo would make a good mother.

He didn't know her that well, worse in fact out of most of the people in the room currently. But he had to admire her, her strength, her resilience, her care for those weaker than herself. To be honest with himself, he'd always had a soft spot for women whom where fiery but kind, whom cared about everyone and could at times take a step back and leave things be. She seemed to always have time for everyone and anyone, never had he seen her break a promise.

She had this power, stronger than she let on, but he'd noticed that whenever she had a sprout in power that she'd get piercings on her ears. Currently, she had three small studs one after another on the tragus of her right ear; she had three studs, starting with smallest closest to her lobule and then upping in kart size on the antihelix fold of her right ear as well as two piercings, one stud and one with the dangling diamonds currently on the lobule of her right ear. On her left ear she had two studs on the scapha portion of the ear and three studs plus the dangling diamond going from the part of the lobule closest to her head towards the antitragus. Currently she had fourteen piercings in total. Izuru knew that it was probably Urahara-san's work, with the same idea behind them as Zaraki-taichou's eye patch; although he had always wondered if the other taichous knew about the vast amount of power the young woman in front of them carried.

To require Reiatsu eating devices and more kido in order to repress the vast amount of natural spiritual energy she had was phenomenal and both scary. It was no wonder that Aizen propositioned her so many times. It really was a good thing that she was so honorable. Izuru withheld a sigh, and felt a little embarrassed as he'd not contributed to the debate due to the fact that he'd become a little bit enamored by this ridiculously well-dressed and stunning light-copper haired woman beside him whom seemed to have no problem multitasking between her thoughts, her opinions and the small pink-haired fukutaichou in her hand.

What he didn't realize was that, no one had paid attention to anything but the peach haired young woman and her ease with the child. Even the Soutaichou himself was a little distracted, most people seemed to forget that underneath her personality Kurosaki Ichigo was a softy at heart and underneath her shihakusho Kurosaki Ichigo obviously had a rocking body.

It seemed like a century before the meeting finished, almost immediately after it happened, Izuru watched as almost all the other shinigami at the tall and down-up woman and continued watching as Ichigo kept with at the very least four conversations at once, about Ishida's dress and his line, about Yachiru eating her vegetables, about a training program one squad or another would like her input on. Ichigo attempted to direct compliments away from her person and when that didn't work, she took them shyly, as if the young woman didn't know how attractive she was. Renji, Shuhei-senpai and Tetsuzaemon-senpai had all come up to him and attempted to be casual as they watched the woman. Izuru himself couldn't help but feel apprehensive and jealous with their gazes. Ichigo began walking with her hand on Zaraki-taichou's arm as she spoke furiously to him; Yachiru's sleeping body was transferred to Zaraki-taichou's other arm.

Izuru seemed to make up his mind from the gazes and the apprehension from the attention Ichigo gained effortlessly. "Ichigo-san…" Ichigo had stopped her conversation and stared at the blonde sullen man confused, he seemed to be contemplating how to go on next. What they didn't realize was that the entire room got very quiet.

"Yes."

"Would you like to go to dinner next Thursday?" There was a chorus of inhales that both ignored, Ichigo took the time to examine him, although she didn't know Izuru that well, she could see an underlying attractiveness to him, the loyalty and hope. But also the disguised pain and hurt, his ex-captain's defection must have hurt him plenty. All Ichigo could wonder though was how his face looked like when he smiled. Renji, Shuhei and Tetsuzaemon's jaws dropped at the question, did little Kira Izuru really just ask Kurosaki Ichigo out? It was wow worthy, definitely gossip material. As time went on without an answer, they were torn between happiness and pity for their friend.

"Pick me up at seven." Izuru let out the breath that he was holding as the members of the Woman's Association squealed like little girls. Renji, Shuhei and Tetsuzaemon fainted for the second time in the evening, mostly from shock but a little from blood loss due to Ichigo's soft smile. Izuru felt a hand on his shoulder and knew it to be his current captain Otoribashi-taichou. Looking up he saw an ecstatic smile on the older blonde's face and an approving nod. They had all left in the group; Izuru and Ichigo were walking beside each other but talking to different people.

It didn't really matter though as content rolled in undisturbed.

Who knows, this may be the start of something new, scary and lovely all at once.

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(0000)

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I hope you enjoyed this chapter, the I will try to get out one between now and Wednesday. Though I make no promises.

Blessed be,

CoffeeNerd


	2. Eventually, everything would be okay

**Disclaimer:** I do not own BLEACH if I did, I obviously wouldn't be working a job that pays just barely over minimum wage.

**Authors note:** Briefly stated, this is a work of fiction, my ideas are my own, my beliefs my own, if you don't agree with them than obviously don't read. Also, I recently restarted school, so I will be updating less as the semester goes on, sorry about that, but please enjoy as many chapters as possible.

**Fangirling moment: **So, I got a happy surprise Tuesday January 7, 2013. **Ell Roche** posted a review, I know, this is a strange thing to post a author's note about, but those who know me, know that this is momentous for me, because Ell Roche is the reason I started up on FanFiction, I read all Ell's Harry Potter stories before going on to other ones (PS. Ell Roche, I reviewed under a guest for quite a bit of it). She is an amazing authoress, and the fact that she (as did the other two, **NamikazeMia** and the g**uest**) gave time from her life to review my work of fiction is super humbling. Thank you, and thank you for your constructive criticism! I appreciate it so much!

To the **guest** that reviewed: This chapter is for you!

To **NamikazeMia**: Thanks for being the first person to review and I am glad that you like the story!

To **Neellok**: Thanks for reviewing, I am glad that you like the collection that far.

P.S. Yes, I realized that today is Sunday and that I am a little over a week late in my promise to update. Things came up? I am really sorry for the lack of update but I hope you will enjoy this anyway. But I realized belatedly that the first version was crap! Also I had _**H1N1**_! So, please keep that in mind when you read slightly delirious or strangely worded sentences. I have gone back and attempted to edit but if you see any blatant mistakes please feel free to tell me about them.

(0000)

The warmth was passing again, the sunlight, which had been orange and sincere, had illuminated the colorful meadow of lush greens of the countryside and cheerful yellows, pinks, blues, whites and purples hanging from trees or sprouting from the ground in an assortment of flowers, and given the perfect heat to her painting was now passing for the third time since she began painting the landscapes of Seireitei one week ago. She had painted the halls of the First Squad barracks –with the Soutaichou's permission; she had painted parts of Rukongai, the beautiful and the ugly. From the first District, as peaceful and lawful as the daily antiseptic lifestyle of early-Edo Era Kyoto, with not prim but hardworking people to District 80 which was hard and violent, which had blood filling many of the last few free-flowing rivers and was ridiculously crime-infested, much like the early depictions of Heian era Kyoto that she remembered from textbooks and old museums that she either used to work for or went to in her free time. She had painted forests around Soul Society, beautiful flowing waterfalls, and even the most disgusting of slums. Once the light she had wanted left, she went on to another district or another part and painted in a different light at times forgetting to eat or drink water. She was half way through numerous paintings because she just couldn't stop, not matter how much she wanted to and Ichigo found that she didn't want to stop.

She didn't want to stop painting, the urgency she felt was strange really, like she was in the middle of teen's obsession with a pop star, and she could get enough of the landscape, the scenery… the culture really. Karakura Town… Japan even had loads of culture, from the old Buddhist temples built in various ways and eras to the statues found in squares and walkways. There was always something going on in Karakura Town near Tokyo, there were museums and conventions full of art and history to attend at night or during the weekend hours when she had nothing to do. There were classes to attend during the day as she finished her university degree in History and Literature (painting was a passion of hers). But Soul Society was different; while Karakura was pristine all the time, like there was no dirt, a falsity in all regard as no place was completely clean; in Soul Society it wasn't hard to find the dirty aspects of it. Ichigo found she wanted to paint all of it, she knew rationally that she had months, years even left to paint every inch of Soul Society should she choose to do so.

The strawberry blond watched the paint dry as she cleaned her brushes and palette she had been using to mix the acrylic paints. Splashes of green, yellow, purple, pink and blue danced between and within each other, slowly taking shapes of flowers, leaves and grass, lots and lots of it. Ichigo filed her brushes into her brush holder and placed all her belongings in an orderly way into her bag, taking all the time she needed, she hadn't planned to meet anyone this evening and taking her time was always something she enjoyed in her fast-paced and cluttered life. Her wooden easel was folded into pieces and taken apart, putting it in another bag before Ichigo sat down a little awkwardly in her loosely-tied casual purple yukata, hugging her knees to her chest and watching the remainder of her uncompleted work dry. Her critical wine-colored eyes scanned the canvas for flaws of which she could find numerous, loss of color that she usually found in the environment or something else along that line.

Ichigo put her head on top of her knee caps and watched the stars; this part of the sixth district was always quiet at night, peaceful unlike the rest of the urban areas filled with laughter and run and families. But this area had little disturbances for thought or just the need for little to no human contact. The wind picked up again, fluttering through her hair loosely tied into a bun at the nape of her neck. Ichigo closed her eyes as a smile stretched across her face, she enjoyed the cooling feeling across her yukata and a little of her exposed skin giving her goose-bumps.

"Do you plan to stay out all night, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Ichigo heard the deep monotone voice of a familiar dark haired man named Kuchiki Byakuya from her right. She could feel his Reiatsu from miles away, as she could always, ever since she broke into Soul Society to stop her friend's execution. She turned to the formally dressed man with a smile stretched across her face, not even Byakuya could ruin her mood with his very serious and no nonsense (to the point of cruelty) attitude.

"Byakuya," Ichigo raised a hand in salute lazily. His Reiatsu felt calm and in control, like every day, his tight rein on his emotions should in the feeling of his spiritual energy and his very being. This fact had bugged her at one point, in the beginning, she knew her own Reiatsu to be hot and volatile at the same time. At times it burned others near her, when she was truly upset or angered. But now, even just being around the normally cold man calmed her Reiatsu down. It wasn't something she was used, even though it had been occurring for months.

"It's a beautiful night." Ichigo finally replied, though she didn't have any plans to stay out too long. She heard a sound of agreement coming again from her right. The wind picked up again and they stayed like this for a while, her sitting and him standing.

"It is time to go back." Byakuya said after a while of silence, although nature fluttered in the background, crickets, flies, nocturnal animals. Those noises along with Byakuya's presence relaxed her in ways that a cup of tea didn't or yoga or her morning commute to the University of Tokyo. Ichigo nodded in compliance and got up, again awkwardly trying to maintain balance in such a long yukata. She headed to pick up her bags but found them slung over the regal captain's shoulders. Looking up at his face with a confused half question, Byakuya just stared back at the younger of the two in a no nonsense sort of way that had her picking up the dried canvas and quickly following him back to Kuchiki Manor. It had been where she was staying for her few weeks of summer vacation; as per Rukia's insistence and Byakuya's allowance. It had been a blissful experience, Ichigo thought as she followed the noble back to Seireitei at a sedated pace, not that she didn't expect that when she accepted the invitation. But she truly didn't expect everyone, cough, cough Kenpachi cough, to be on their best behavior.

Or Byakuya for that matter, he didn't even comment on her lack of formality. Ichigo turned her questioning eyes to the poised noble, for the last three days –as she had been painting that meadow, Byakuya had come to walk her to the manor. It was an event that really confused her, why would he bother? Was it because he was her host and he found this to be his responsibility? Was it because she was a woman? Or was it because she was carrying so much weight at that time?

Nothing really made sense; she didn't understand why he bothered. She knew were the manor was, so rationally he didn't need to walk her back. She was a woman, yes, but she was also a substitute shinigami, she was accustomed to protecting herself, no one, even the residents of the eightieth district messed with her (not after she beat them back with Zangetsu) and carrying enormous loads of weight, like Zangetsu.

So why was he even bothering?

That was the million dollar question. Ichigo looked away and fought a blush –not that it would be seen in the lack of light, as she saw Byakuya turn back, it was the fourth time she was almost caught staring at him intently since Byakuya began walking her back two days ago. Ichigo picked up her pace until she was just beside him and stared forward blankly as she continued thinking about this development. It stayed silent as the odd pair moved toward the Kuchiki Manor, although Ichigo's thoughts raced as fast as usually, trying to find some sort of idea as to why Byakuya would even bother. When they made it to Kuchiki Manor they didn't split up until they reached her room. She leaned her painting on the thin wooden wall before grabbing her bags from Byakuya. Staring up at his steel eyes she attempted to thank him but found the words stuck, the intensity he stared at her was… well, breathtaking for lack of a better word. She really didn't expect that. Immediately she looked down, tearing her eyes from his critical eyes and fought another blush. She didn't really understand the attention he gave her.

"Rest." Then she heard her doors slide shut before his soft footsteps went left towards his room. Ichigo's eyes went up again following the sound of his footsteps. Blood rushed to her face and the heat was almost unbearable. This wasn't the first time that this almost exact occasion, had occurred, but she still found his attention leads to blushing like a teen with a crush, or more often the speed up of her heart. Ichigo pressed a hand to her heart as if to calm it down. When she was calm enough, Ichigo placed her bags by the canvas and sat down by the table with her sketch pad and pencils. Almost silently, she placed her head in her hands and leaned her elbows on the table.

She couldn't get calm that night, whenever she was close to slowing her racing heart or overacting head Byakuya's intense steel eyes appeared in her head and almost instantaneously her heart rushed and the familiar heat rose to her cheeks. Damn it, Ichigo thought and got up, rather violently and tore open the second doors, rolling them open and allowing the large and beautiful garden to appear almost like magic. She went back to the table and flipped through pages of Byakuya until a blank page emerged. Ichigo picked up the 2HB pencil and attempted to distract herself. She drew flowers until the morning… oh who was she kidding, she drew Byakuya's eyes all night long and then when the morning came around, she had drawn twenty pages of Byakuya's eyes, hands, face, his entire portrait from memory. Again.

Ichigo felt like crying, she wasn't used to this, she wasn't used to attention from Byakuya, well not this intense all-encompassing kind, like she was a puzzle he would figure out. She didn't understand his interest in her and she really didn't understand why she paid attention to his person like this.

…

…

…

Okay, yes, she did know why she paid attention to him paying attention to her. It was because she wanted him to pay attention to her. Ichigo sighed when she heard the knock on the floor signaling one of the servants that Byakuya employed entering the room. Ichigo closed the sketchbook and placed it underneath the one she kept for the garden before placing both under the table (and the pencils). Ichigo then stood to greet one of her favorite servants that Byakuya employed.

"Hey, Yumi." The small brown haired girl smiled up at her.

"Ichigo-san, you haven't been sleeping again." They both sat at the table again to eat; they always ate together, well since Ichigo stayed here for her vacation. They had a chat over their breakfast about everything and nothing at all and enjoyed each other's company. When breakfast was finished and Yumi helped Ichigo dress, once again Ichigo went to paint, starting with the cherry blossom trees in front of Byakuya's parents tombstones in the early daylight (if everything went fine, today would be the day she would just be putting the finishing touches on most of her paintings, this one included). She finished painting after painting that day, after completing the cherry blossoms, she went to the cave that Yoruichi trained her in and finished the painting of hot springs, all done in whites and shades of browns, and oranges. When that one had dried she moved back to Kuchiki manor and put them inside her closet there, she had five other paintings (not including the two that had finished and dried today) in there. Ichigo stopped to have lunch, the day after lunch passed very quickly and before she knew it she was in the meadow again painting straight to the end of the sunset. This time though, she was even slower to clean up, her brushes did end up filed away at the end of the night, her easel was taken apart and folded into its bag and she was sitting with her legs underneath her watching her painting dry with a tea in her hands.

She looked up before Byakuya could say another and greeted him with a smile. They spent a few hours there in silence again; Ichigo couldn't keep her eyes on Byakuya after the greeting due to the fact that he made her uncomfortable with his penetrating stare. They went back to the manor together. It became a routine for them day after day, for the next week, due to the hour she really had for the painting (sunset only lasts so long) Ichigo had to come back that many times before she could finish the painting the way she wanted it to be completed. But afterwards, Byakuya would come with tea or a late dinner and they would sit in silence for a few hours before heading in. Sometimes they would have conversations about their days or random topics but most of the time; it was the pair sitting very close to each other. Until Ichigo had to leave of course.

The strawberry blond had her hair down with the top portion of her hair pulled into a bun. The yukata she wore was form-fitting this time, dark blue in color with cheerful yellow butterflies and beautiful white water lilies cluttering the bottom portion. The purple obi was tied neatly in the back. It was midway through the day when Ichigo walked toward the sixth division offices with the wrapped final product. She met some shinigami along the way and had several little chats.

Ichigo walked down the halls of the sixth squad offices until she hit the largest one by far, she knocked briefly and waited until she heard a monotone "Come in" before making her way inside. She was greeted by the same intense steel eyes that were on her person almost constantly, this time though they were filled with interest.

"Hi," Ichigo said a little unnecessarily. Byakuya just seemed to watch her as he put his paperwork down. God, he's giving me his full attention again, Ichigo bit back a small cry of surprise; something she wasn't used to and moved forward. "I go back to the Karakura town today."

"Yes," the sixth squad Taichou nodded.

"And I wanted to give you something…" Ichigo's eyes widen at his penetrating gaze going back and forth between her present and her face. "…B-because you were kind enough to let me stay at Kuchiki manor during my vacation." She stuttered on and held out the gift. All that could be heard was a loud screech from Byakuya's chair scrapping across the floor and the nearly silent padded feet gliding towards her, Ichigo looked up with hooded eyes, attempting to be casual during the encounter. Byakuya took the gift from her and opened it right in front of Ichigo, something Ichigo didn't expect. Byakuya seemed to always want to surprise her. Ichigo watched him trace her brush strokes, it was their meadow. Strangely enough this morning when she was packing up all her paintings, this one seemed to call out to her. To give it to this …man in front of her, like that was why she was painting it in the first place. Again, little made sense to her. Though Byakuya's small smile made her gasp slightly, his eyes moved to her person again and they seemed to brighten with what could be termed affection and darken with pleasure.

He liked it?

He liked it. Ichigo kept back a beaming smile, she was glad he liked her painting. Okay, exultant would be a better word for her emotion right now. "It's lovely." Byakuya stated, this time, Ichigo couldn't keep back her smile. "Thank you." He finished after a brief pause where their gazes met, hers happy, his darken before Ichigo looked away and slight blush bloomed across her cheeks. Ichigo almost bowed due to the fact that she had nothing better to do, instead though she sheepishly rubbed the back of her head.

"I'll just go finish getting ready." And scrambled out of the room. When she got back to the Kuchiki manor she leaned up against her door and put a hand over her heart. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. She wasn't expecting this; she wasn't expecting Byakuya to be like this or for her to be like this.

When she first met that man, she found him interesting but cold and harsh (he was willing to allow his sister's execution). She still found him cold and harsh, but also his eyes were intense and watchful, he was kind to Yachiru and willing to put up with Kenpachi's presence because he was her friend, he was attentive to her needs and wants. He was …responsive to her, those were the words she wanted to say. And damn it all if she didn't love that about him!

She did. Love all the little piece of him, the pieces that she got to see, and the pieces that he hadn't shown to her yet, it was something that her Hollow, Shiro and Zangetsu helped her come to terms with, she had always been interest in Byakuya and at first she was worried that her slowly falling in love with a noble, the stoic and hard noble was a fluke, there was no way that it could happen in only a few days. That wasn't supposed to be how love worked; it was supposed to take time, trust, dates, something, and anything. Instead, he charmed her with his silent attention, stimulated any need for conversation easily and readily, he was attentive to her needs, and his gaze really warmed her heart and excited her soul. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt.

And now she was leaving.

She was going back to her real life, the one of a full-time student, full-time Shinigami. Ichigo put her face down on the palms of her hands and tried to keep her emotions under control. Kami knows that it was hard, damn it all! Damn it all! What happens now? What should she do now? What could she do now? She had six months of study left before she would have those little letters behind her name. She had art that reminded Ichigo of her time here in Soul Society, her time here with Byakuya. Damn it all!

The worst part of it all was that Ichigo found that she wanted Byakuya to pay attention to her, she wanted him to be there for her, she wanted him to care for and she wanted him to love her. She wanted to give him everything and wanted the same in place. She just wanted him. Ichigo took a few deep pregnant lady breaths to keep the small rein she had over her emotions. She wanted to stay even though as Byakuya told many times, this wasn't her place, this wasn't her home. The strawberry blonde sighed and walked towards her bags, she grabbed all of them, her painting were bound together in a stack, and bagged, her clothes in a Pullman and the rest of her supplies, both gifts to others and her brushes where in a bag slung over her left shoulder.

It was time to go home. Ichigo pulled open the door and hazel eyes widen at the sight in front of her. She almost dropped her painting when she saw Byakuya standing there with his hand raised to open the door. Byakuya stepped forward and Ichigo put down her bound work. "Why are you here?" she questioned the tall man as she stepped back. Instead of answering her, he took another step toward her. With every step he took forward she took one back until finally he grabbed her free shoulder and brought her closer until her head was resting against his chest and his arms wound tightly around her willow figure.

It was a moment of shock. Ichigo stood there as the silence filled her head. She could think, couldn't believe that this was happening to her. Finally, when she felt Byakuya's stiff frame shifted to move back, her arms moved of their own accord and pulled him tighter. "Don't." Ichigo stated tightly as she swallowed half way through her demand.

"Alright." He responded and tightened his arms around her.

"Okay," came Ichigo's muffled reply. Byakuya's arms tightened even further of their own accord. They spent moments in silence, Ichigo unable to formulate words, all she felt was relief, relief and warmth. Both so large that her enter frame trembled from their combined strength, Byakuya's arms tightened to an unbearably crushing strength but all Ichigo felt was warm and safe, like he would tear anything that frightened her or that got in their way apart.

"Is this real?" Her soft voice shook with emotion.

"Yes." His was soft but also firm and carried strength behind the single syllable.

"Do you mean it?" Hazel eyes shut tightly and the strawberry blonde attempted to regain even an ounce of control over her chaotic emotions.

"Yes." Ichigo felt like she was floating, okay. This was perfectly okay.

"Okay."

The pair fell into a silence. Eventually, everything would be okay.

(0000)

Can I say I was not expecting that ending? I was totally going to go with another one but in my drugged stupor I ended up with this quiet unexpectedly. I can't say I am unhappy with it, but I do feel drained.

Please review! I would really like your thoughts on this piece, do you feel drained too?


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